Stacking apparatus



April 23, 1946. w, F, BURKE 2,398,777

sTAKING APPARATUS Filed May 2, 1942 J7 vgFy.

Cttorneg Patented Apr. 23, 1946- asssf'zrz STACKING APPARATUS s y William F. Burke, Athens,v h10, assignor to Syntron CompanyJIomer City, Pa., a

of Delaware corporation Application May 2, 1942, serial No. 441,561

6 Claims.

This invention relates to an apparatus for producing stacks of laminae such as paper or cards, with the edges in alignment. I It is an object of the invention to quickly form stacks of laminae with the edges in alignment from a rough stack or pile of paper, cards or the like.

Another object is the provision of a vibratori'A apparatus adapted to receive a stack of laminae for rapidly vibrating the stack to cause the edges to become aligned. I

Another object is the provision of a vibrating apparatus which is relatively noiseless, compact and readily controlled' by the operator.

These and other objects of the invention will be apparent from a consideration of the following specification taken in connection with the annexed drawing showing a preferred embodiment of the invention by way of example, and wherein:l

Figure 1 is an end view of the parts broken away showing a preferred embodiment,

Figure 2 is a side view of Figure 1 with certain parts in section,

Figure 3 is a diagrammatic viewA of the control switch, and

iigure` 4 is a diagrammaticv view showingthe operation of the method` l Referring to the drawing, there is shown'a casing I having iianges 2 and 3 at the top and bottom respectively. The casing rests on suitable vibration absorbing members 4 onl the bottom-of a. cabinet or housing 5 constructed of angle irons 6 suitably secured together and having an exterior wall 1 suitably secured thereto. If desired, the casing i may be suitably bolted to the cabinet 5 by means of bolts 8. i

At the top of the casing I are four vibratory members Il, each comprising an inverted channel-shaped metal strip I2 with a hole therethrough (not shown) by which the strip may be bolted or otherwise secured to a top plate I3, and rubber pads I4 and I5 have one of their re- -spective faces secured to eachside of the channel strip I2 by vulcanization or in any other suitable-manner. The pads .are right and left hand 'and the faces thereofare substantially parallel. Angle strips I6 are vulcanized to the opposite sides of pads I4 and I5 and bolts I1 Passing therethrough into the iiange 2 secure the vibratory members in position to the casing. t will be seen thus that the top plate I3 is capable of vibratory movement when vibrated by a suitable actuating force. A table I8 may be suitably secured to the plate I3,`this table preferably being vof hard wood, pressed fibrous composition or of any other suitable material.

The unit for vibrating the table I8 comprises a vibratory motor indicated generally by the nu- -mera] 2| and inthe preferred embodiment consists of a base 22 of cast steel or other suitable material having a laminated electromagnet 23 secured therein by rivets or in any other suitable manner. Thebase has holes 24 boredthrough theends by which it may be secured to the plate I3. The electromagnet 23, which preferably is in the form of a T, is surrounded by a coil or winding 25 which may rest on a cushioning pad 26 of rubber or other suitable material, 'and a suitable clip 21 engaging the under side of and insulated from the coil 'and secured to the central core of the electromagnet holds the coil in place.

'I'he armature 28 is of laminated construction l and is substantially in the shape of a C. The laminated plates of the armature are enclosed in thicker side plates 3| on either side, which extend partway along the legs of the C and beyond the armature proper, all the plates being held in assembled position by rivets or in any other suitable mannen Cross bars 29 having suitable bolt holes therein, are positioned between the side plates 3i and are welded or otherwise secured thereto. Adjacent each end of the base 22, and secured thereto by bolts 34, are two vibratory members similar to members II which are indicated generally by the numerals 32 and 33 and the armature is secured to these vibrator members by bolts 36 passing through the holes in bars 29, and nuts 31'V and 38 and spacing washers 39 in between. The spacing washers are interposed between hori'- zontal bars 29 of the armature and the top chan-V nel members 4U of the vibratory members (corresponding to channel members l2).

There, is thus provided a proper air gap bef,

tween thearmature and the electromagnet in assembled position, and the bolts 36 preferably are adjusted so that their heads 42 are not in contact with the base 22. By reason of the' nonmagnetic properties of the amature supports 32 and 33 the possibility of the electromagnetic flux being shunted around the air gap into the armature is eliminated. Ordinarily, when the armature is vibrating the amplitude of vibration is such that the heads 42 do not strike the base I.

v s However, striking surfaces 43 of Stellite or other suitable hard material may bepositioned on the base 22 to prevent damage in-case accidental impact occurs.

In a compartment or lcase 45 which preferably is secured to the cabinet 5 housing the apparatus, 1

there is located a rectifier 48 which in the preferred embodiment is of the copper oxide or other dry disk type and is diagrammaticallyv shown in Figure 1. 'Ihe cabinet also contains a rheostat 41 controlled by a knob 48 extending out- 5I and a pin 53 in lever 52 tends to bias the leverV` 52 in one direction. The switch lever 52 extends from the cabinet at a suitable point so that it may be operated by the knee or any other portion of the operators body. A switch 51 which preferably is of the snap acting type is secured to the cabinet, and a rod or button 58 for actuating the switch extends into the path of lever 52. Thus, when lever 52 is moved in one direction it contacts the switch rod 58 t0 close the switch and thus actuate the vibrator, and when moved in the opposite direction it opens the switch to stop operation of the vibrator. r

In operation, current is supplied from any suitable source of alternating current through the rectier 46 which passes successive current impulses of like polarity spaced by zero current intervals to the coil 25 surrounding the electromagnet. This intermittent pulsating current is controlled by rheostat 41 which is located in series with the rectifier and coil 25, and the electromagnet 23 causes the armature 28 to be intermittently attracted so as to vibrate and cause vibration of table I8 to which it is connected. The amplitude of vibration thus is regulated by the rheostat 47. For example, if a 60 cycle source of alternating current is employed (this being most commonly employed in commercial wiring) the amature and table will be vibrated at the rate of 3600 times per minute. If a current source of 25 cycles is usedy the table vibrates 1500 times per minute. The specific type of vibration members 32 and 33 shown is preferred because of the elimination of rattle in the apparatus and its long life, the rubber pads being vibrated in a state of shear or tension.

In stacking paper or cards, a stack of paper 8d is placed edgewise on the table .I8 and is supported against toppling by the hands of the operator or -by any other support, and the operator now pushes the switch lever 52, as seen in Figure 3, to actuate the electromagnet and cause table I8 to vibrate substantially vertically at a rate of 1500 times Per minute or more. This rapid vibration of the table is transmitted to the paper stack and appears to free the individual sheets oi paper so that they may fall until the ends of all of them rest on the table to form a smooth edge stack. The stack then may be turned at right angles to align the other edges'of the paper and to Prevent the papers getting out of alignment they may be supported edgewise against the surface at right angles to the table I8.

The snap acting switch 51 may be of the type disclosed in Patent No. 2,172,673, issued August 12, 1939, to Malcolm W. Eaton, or of any other suitable type. v

If desired. the exterior cabinet 1 may be placed on vibration absorbing feet. Various other modications may be made in the structure shown without departing from the spirit or scope of my invention. f

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is:

1. In a paper Jogger of the character described the combination of a horizontally disposed table resiliently supported for vibration. a vibratory motor having an vibrate the table in a. rectilinear path normal t the table.

member and a field member supported in operarmature and a. field supported I l1n operative spaced relation to provide a magtween, means for securing one of said members to the underside of the table in fixed relation thereto, and means to electrically energize the ield member to rapidly oscillate the member secured to the table relative to said other member with'out physical contact with one another to silently vibrate the table in a rectilinear path normal to the table.

3. In a paper Jogger of the character described the combination of a horizontally disposed table resiliently supported for vibration, a vibratory motor having an armature member and a, field member supported in operative spaced relation to provide a magnetic coupling therebetween, means for securing the field member of the vibratory motor to the underside of the table, and means to energize the iield member to cause rapid relative movement between said members without contacting one another to silently vibrate th'e table in a rectilinear path-'normal to the table.

4. In a paper `iogger the combination of a relatively heavy base, a horizontally disposed table of relatively less` mass resiliently supported on said base for vibration relative thereto, a single vibratory motor having an armature member and a field member supported in operative relation to provide a magnetic coupling therebetween, means for securing one of said members to the central portion of the table, and means to rectify alternating current and electrically energize the field member to rapidly vibrate the table in a vertical rectilinear path relative to the base, the relatively greater mass of th'e base preventing absorption of vibration from the table.

5. In a paper :logger thecombination of a horizontally disposed table resiliently supported for vibration, a vibratory motor having an armature member and a iield member supported in operative spaced relation to provide a magnetic coupllng therebetween, means for securing one of said members to the underside of the table, means for energizin the eld member with intermittent curren pulsations obtained by rectifying alternating current to rapidly oscillate the membersecured to the table relative to said other member without physical contact with one another to silently vibrate th'e table in a rectilinear path normal tothe table, and means to regulate the amplitude of vibration of the table while the operation of the motor subsists.

-6. In a paper Jogger the combination or a horizontally disposed table resiliently supported for vibration, a vibratory motor having an armature ative spaced relation to provide a magnetic coupling therebetween, means for securing one of said members to the underside of the table, means to electrically energize the eld member and rapidly oscillate the member secured to the table relative to said other member with'out physical contact with one another to silently vibrate the table in a rectilinear path normal to the table, said securing means locating said member on the table to cause the whole of the table to vibrate uniformly, and means to regulate the amplitude o! vibration of the table to adapt it to the character oi the paper being jagged.

F. BURKE. 

